Door holding device



Oct. 4,1932. BITTQRF 880,711

DOOR HOLDING DEVI CE Filed Oct. 20. 1930 2' Sheets-Sheet 1 \w v v 6 19Oct. 4, 1932. 1.. A. BITTORF ,8 1

DOOR HOLDING DEVICE Filed Oct. 20, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I m "Hiiatented Oct. 4, 1932 rat-Ear orries on s n trogen; or srnnnrne, ILIivOIs, As'sIeNpn-ro NATIONAL MANUFACTURING loolyrrnlvv, on srnntrne,rrinr vors, n oonrone'rron or IL InoIs noon HOLDING anvron Applicationfiled-October 20, 1930. Serial No. 489,757.

' y n -inn re ate t Q 1 fh ldi1 g s- .vices of :that general typeadapted to autom ice' y latch an retain sw nging. do r and the-1ike,inpredet rmine open posit n p eventing accide tal c osing o t Sa Whiieinvention i dap ed t va c s kinds of doors Ofztllls charaeteniti W l s ied for garage,.or similardoors.

One of the objectsof my invention is to provide asimple andinexpensivedevice of the foregoingcharacter which is positive in actionand which automatically secures and holdsthe-swinging door againstclosing due to any jar forcefor shock when the door has been movedto apredetermined openposition, but which provides for-the readyandconvenient release of the door when itis desired to close the same. V

Another obj ect is to provide a door holding device which-embodiesimproved details of construction rendering the same more efiicient inaction andmore durablethan devices heretofore employed. Additionalobjects are to prov de a doorholding device embodying a. minimum ofmoving parts; toreduce wear'to a minimum; to so relatively'shapeand-position the several parts ofthe device thatthey provideia structureself-braced against strains and stresses in any directionQthus insuringa rigid and long-life door-holding means, ,ahdto so mount the latchingmeans with respect tothe keeper that the strains and stresses upon thekeeper are imposed at such a point that thedoor lioldingbar is rigidlyretained and there is a minimumoi strain uponthekeeper with lessenedprobability of distortion of the keeper. Other objects and advantageswill become apparent as this description "progresses and by referencetothe drawings wherein,

Figure 1 is a. partial elevational .view of a door structure embodyingmy invention, the parts of such structure being shown in door.- closedposition. and certain of the parts, being broken away to moreclearlyshow the door holding device i n its relation to the doorstructa-F ig. 21is a horizontal-section taken substantially on line-2 2' ofFig.1, the door beingshown in open position in full lines and in 'closedposition in dottedlines;

Fig.3 is an enlarged sectional view of the outer end portion of the doorholding device, showing the latching means in :full' lines engaged withthe keeper, the disengaging posiitiofn of the devicebeing indicated indotted mes; v V

Fig. lis'a bottom plan-view of the bar and latch structure shown in Fig.8,.except that a different form of connection between the latch and itsoperating bar is employed;

Fig. '5 is a side View, partially .in section of another .form ofdoorholder embodying my invention;

. Fig. 6 is a section taken substantially online .66 of Fig. V Fig. 7 isa side view of stillanother structure constructed in accordance withmyinvention; and 7 Fig. Sis asectional viewtaken as at 88 of Fig. .7showing a different form of latch member.

It will be understood-that while Ihavechosen to illustrate my inventionin connection with the arrangement shownin the drawings, I donot wish tobe limitedto the same since it is obvious that my invention has utilityin any instance where it isdesired to automati cally latch the swingingmember in a predetermined open position in condition for ready andconvenient release of the latch when itis desired to closethe swingingmember.

Referring particularly to the drawings, the stru ctu-re disclosed takesthe form of. top and side. door framemembers :10 and .11, respectively,forming adoorway 12-.adaptedto be closed by a pair of doors 1-3 .14swingingly mounted by means-of asuitable number of hinges 15; It ill beappreciated that in the use ofdoors of this character for garages, and

the like,'forexample, ittis highly desirable to provide some .meanswhich automatically latches thedoor in open position to avoid closing ofthedoor when -avehicle'is being moved. into or removed from the garagethrough the doorway, wlnolrclosmg -might take place .(if not guardedagainst) due to drafts, gusts of wind, jars, shocks, etc.

' I provide such alatching and holding-de- &,

vice, one form of which, as shown in the draw- 1ngs,compr1ses an arm 16of inverted U-shape 1n cross section secured at one end to the upperpart of the door by means of a bracket 17 and having its other and freeend passed through a rectangularly-shaped opening .18 in the keeper 19which is secured to the inner and under side of the door frame member 10at the proper location, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. It will beunderstood that the mounting for this arm '16 must be such that such armwill automatically acljustitselfin' the opening and closing movements ofthe door. To th1s end, a vertlcal hinge 00111160131011 20'is providedbetween the arm 16 and the bracket 17 which is so arranged that it,preferably, permits of only horizontal swinging movement of the arm 16about the pivot. The keeper 19 is mounted at such an angle that the armwill readily move back and forth through its opening 18 in the openingand closing movements of the door as illustrated by the full and dottedlines in Fig. 2.

The keeper opening 18 is of only slightly greater height than the depthof the U-arm 16, and complete withdrawal ofthe arm from the keeper inthe opening movement of the door is prevented by a stop-abutment block21 (Fig. 3)secured as by means of rivets 22 withinthe extreme forward(or free) end of the arm. This block is extended upwardly through a slot23 in the top portion of the point near its attachment ,to the doorframe' whereby such movement will be rigidly opposed by the keeper andthere will be a minimum of strain on the keeper minimizing thepossibility of distortion and misalignmentof the same under suchconditions.

I have found in devices of this general type heretofore employed thatthe latching means is not sufficiently positive in action tocertainlyinsure automatic latching of the door when the door is swungopen quickly and with considerable force tending to jar, vi-' brate andcause'a rebound action in the holding bar (such as the bar 16). "To,guard against any such condition as that, I provide in the form shown inFigs. 1 to 4. inclusive, a positively acting, gravity operated i latchwhich does not depend for action'upo'n springs, and the like, and whichlatch isso rapid in action that under all conditions of door opening 1(and jarring and rebounding of the bar), the door'will become and willremain latched in such condition, but in such condition that it isreadily and conveniently releasable. More particularly, the slottedforward top portion 23 of the bar 16is extended longitudinally toprovide an 0 ening adjacent (and inwardly of) the stop a utment 21through which normally projects the latching end 24 of ar-latch member25. This latch member, preferably, is formed from'a piece of metal whichis U-shaped in cross section so that each'half s'ectioned part ofthelatch takes the form shown in the sectional view'of Fig. 3. Thislatch member is *pivotally eonnected-, preferably, near its centertopportion to the U-bar 16 by means of a cross P111 25*, the relativesizes of the parts being such that the latch member is, preferably,wholly concealed within the U-bar eX cepting its bifurcate latching endpart 24. The latch end portions 24 of the member 25 are provided with abeveled surface 24 tapering downwardly and'inwardly toward the inner topportion of the bar. adjacent the inner end ofthe latch slot 23. a Itwill be noted that theinwardfedges 24 of the latch portions 24, in thelatching position of the latch member '(Fig. 3) assume a substantiallyvertical position substantially parallel with (and substantially.abutting) the inward edge 23 of the latch slot. In this manner the arm16 braces the latch member 25 when it is holding the door open andprovides avery rigid structure which securely opposes strains andstresses tending to close the door. In this case also the relationshiptothe forward edge surface of the latch portions 24' and the keeper-ensgaged part tends to provide a quite rigid arrangement, minimizing thepossibility of dis tortion of the keeper due to door-closing strains andstresses.

r The latch member 25 is normally held in its latching position, and isalso releasable, by means of a metal bar26 operatively associated at itsoutward end with the latch member and pivotally supported by the U-armat 27 near its other end. This bar is,'preferably,

so located that it is concealed within and sheltered by the arm 16;.andits forward end is provided with a conically-shaped slot 26 whichreceives the U-base .p'ortion 25 of the latch member, as, best shown inFig. 3. This arrangement permits free relative hinging movement asbetween the operating bar 26 land the latch member 25.

It is desirable to limit the unlatching movement of the latch member 25.To that end, the bottom portion of the free end abutment block 21isextended inwardly as at 21 to such a point that when the forward (orouter) end of the latch'member' is moved downwardly to 'a'predetermined(and unlatching) extent, its i'forward bottom portion will strike thestop 21 and; prevent further downward movement of the member inquestion. If desired, a suitable pin- (not'shown) may be supported bythe :U-arm' 1 6 beneath the. bar-26 at door end of the latter.

The downward movement ofthe latch member is accomplished by meansof achain 27, or other suitable operating means, secured to-the inward, ordoor, end of the operating bar 26, whereby upon grasping the chain 27and pulling downwardly on the same, the bar 26 is swung about its pivot27 moving its forward end upwardly and swinging the latch member aboutits pivot to move its latch portion 24 downwardly. The operating bar 26is of sufficient weight to at all times hold the latch member in itslatching position.

In the general operation of the structure of Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive,when the door is moved open, at any speed, or under any condition, thebar 16 slides through the keeper opening 18 and, as this movementcontinues, the tapered surfaces 24 of the latch portion 24 strike theupper edge of the keeper opening and are depressed until the bar moveson further through the keeper and strikes the abutment 21*. Just as soonas the latch portions 24 pass beyond the keeper, the latch member ismoved (instantaneously) upwardly to confine the keeper between theabutment 21 and the latch portion (Fig. The parts will positively remainin this position until the chain 27 is operated to release the latch asabove explained. The above action takes place regardless of vibration ofthe bar 16 or the door or any of the parts during the opening movementof the door and notwithstanding the fact that the door may be openedwith such force and with such jar and shock results that there may be atendency to deflect the free end of the bar 16 laterally and vertically.

The form shown in Fig. 4 is thesame as p the bar 26 is connected to thelatch member 25 by means of a pivot pin 28, in which case the adjacentbottom portion of the U-shaped a latch member is slotted as at 29 topermit free hinging movement ofthese parts.

Referring now to the structure of Figs. 5 and 6, it is substantially thesame as that of the form of Fig. 1, except as to the specific latchmeans. This latch means comprises a latch member 30 which is similar tothe latch member 25 and which has a latching element 31 cooperating withan abutment 32 at the free end of the supporting arm 33. This latchmember is spring-controlled as follows: Its rear U-base portion supportsa relatively short upstanding rod .34 having one end guidinglysupporting a coil spring 35 seated in theU-base portion of the latchmember 30 with its other end preferably normally engaging. the adjacentU-base portion of the arm 33 tending to move the latch member toward andhold it yieldably in the latching position shown in Fig. 5. 1 The latchmember30 is pivotally supportpivotally connected to the upwardly pro-'jecting end of the bell-crank lever 39 which is pivotall supported bythe arm 33 as at 40. An operating chain or handle 41 is connected'to theother end of the lever 39 and by moving the same downwardly the latchmember 1s moved to unlatch the same. Further operation is the same asthat of the form of Fig. 1

In the structure shown in Fig. 7, the supporting arm 42 is the same asthat of the previous figuresand is provided at its free end with theabutment 43. The latching means takes the form of a latch member 44having a latching element 45 projecting upwardly through the slot 46 inthe arm 42, inward of theabutment 43. This latch member may take aU-shape in cross section or may be forn ed of bar material as shown; andit is pivotally supported by the arm 42 at 47 so that the spring48connected to its inward end and to the lower part of the arm tends tomove the latch member to and yieldably hold it in latching position. Incase a latch member of iJ-shape in cross section is employed, its bottommay be slotted at 49 so as to mount the spring 48 as illustrated in Fig.8. 1

To move the latch member to unlatching position, I provide a bar 50pivotally sup.- ported at '51 by arm 42 and having its forward endpivotally connected at 52 to the latch member 44. A cable or handle 53is connected to the other end of this bar for obvious unlatchingmovement of these parts. Further construction and operation of this formis substantially'the same as the previously-described forms.

It will be understood that while I have shown and described severalforms of my invention, other changes in details and arrange? ment ofparts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of myinvention as defined by the claims which'follow.

I claim:

1. In a door-holder, a bar of inverted U- shape in cross section, abracket adapted to be attached to the door and to which one end of saidbar is pivoted, a keeper adapted to be fixedly mounted in the doorwayand having an opening through which the nonpiv oted end of said barprojects, an abutment at the upper side of the non-pivoted end of saidbar. adapted to engage said keeper above said opening to limit theopening movement of the bar, and latch means carried by said barcomprising a member pivotally supported near the non-pivoted end of saidbar and having a latch element projecting upwardly through aslot in theupper surface of said bar immediately inward of said abutment, acomparatively long bar member p'ivotally its mounted near its one end insaid U-bar near the pivoted end of said U-bar, the forward end ofsaidlong bar. member having free swing able engagement with said latchmember whereby the weight of said bar member tends normally to throwsaid latch member and element to and hold it in latching posi tionwherein the surface of said keeper above its opening is confined betweensaid latch elements and abutment, and means connected to the end of saidbar member opposite its connection with said latch member for swingingits other end upwardly to unlatch said latch element for closingmovement of the door. I I

2. Door holding means which comprises an arm of inverted U-shape incross section, a bracket adapted to be secured to the door and to whichsaid arm is pivoted, a keeper adapted to be secured in the doorway andhaving an opening through which said arm projects, the keeper end ofsaid armat its top being slotted, an abutment member at the keeper endof said arm projecting upwardly through said-slot, and latch meansincluding a relatively short member pivotally mounted within theU-section of said arm and having a latch element projecting upwardlythrough said slot in spaced relation to said abutment to confine in theopen position of the door the surface of said keeper above said opening,

and latch operating-means associated with said latch member tending toat all times move said latch member under the weight of said means toand hold it in latching position, but operable manually to release saidlatch member for closing movement of the door.

3. Door holding means which comprises an arm of inverted U-shape incross section, a bracket adapted to be secured to the door and to whichsaid arm is pivoted, a keeper adapted to be secured in the doorway andhaving an opening through which said arm projects, the keeper end ofsaid arm at its top .being slotted, and an abutmentmember at the keeperend of said arm projecting upwardly through said slot and latch meansincluding a relatively short memberof U-shape in cross section pivotallymounted within the U-section of said arm and having a latch elementprojecting upwardly through said slot in spaced relation tosaid abutmentto confine in the open position of the door the surface of said keeperabove said opening, and latch operating means swingably associated withthe end of said latch member opposite said elements tending to at alltimes move said latch member to and hold it in latching position, butoperable manually to release said latch member for closing movement ofthe door.

4. Door holding means which comprises an arm of inverted U-shape incross section, abracket adapted to be secured to the door and to whichsaid arm is pivoted, a keeper adapted to be secured in the doorway andhaving an opening through which said arm projects, thekeeper endof saidarm at its topbeing slotted, an abutment member at the keeper end ofsaid arm projecting upwardly through saidslot, and latch means includinga relatively short member pivotlong bar swingably engaged with saidlatch member at one end and extending substantially to the pivoted endof said arm, said bar being pivotally supported by said arm near thepivoted end of the latter, and means connected to said bar at its endopposite its connection to said latch member for swinging it about itspivotal support to move said latch member to unlatching position forclosing movement of the door.

5. A door-holder which comprises a keepor adapted to be mounted in thedoorway, an arm adapted to be swingably connected to the door at oneend, said keeper having an opening which receives, supports and guidessaid arm, an abutment member at the free end of said arm projectingthereabove to en gage said keeper above its opening, a latch memberpivotally supported by said arm and having a depressible latch elementnormally projecting above said arm in slightly spaced relation to saidabutment and adapted to confine the keeper surface above the keeperopening in the open position of the door, means tending to hold saidlatch member in its latching position, means for moving said latchholding means to move said latch member to unlatching position, saidabutment member being extended along the bottom of said arm beneath saidlatch member to limit the unlatching movement of said latch member. V

6. A door holding structure which comprises a keeper having an openingtherein and adapted to be mounted in the doorway, an arm adapted to haveits one end swingably connected to the door and projecting through thekeeper opening for guidance and support, an abutment member at the freeend of said arm projecting'thereabove for engagement with said keeperlimiting the opening movement of the door, a latch memspace in which thesurface of said keeper aboveits opening is confined in the open positionof the door, a latch operating bar pivotally supported near its one endby said arm near-the connection of the latter to the door,

which bar has rocking engagement with said latch member at its endfarthest removed from its pivotal support whereby the weight of said bartends at all times to rock said latch member about its pivotalsupport'to normally hold said latch element in its latching position,but with said latch element and member depressible automatically uponcontact with the keeper in opening movement of the door, and meansconnected to the end of said bar opposite its connection with said latchmember for rocking said bar about its pivotal support to rock said latchmember to unlatching position.

7. A door-holder which includes a keeper adapted to be mounted in thedoorway and an arm adapted to be swingably connected to the door, saidkeeper having an opening receiving and guiding said arm in the openingand closing movements of the door, an abutment member at the free end ofsaid arm adapted to engage said keeper on one side of said opening, alatch member mounted at the free end of said arm and having a latchelement projected in slightly spaced relation to said abutment memberproviding a space for receiving and confining said keeper surface, saidlatch element having along its edge opposite its keeper-engaging portiona vertical edge surface, and said arm having a similar surface adjacentthe vertical edge surface of said latch element abutted by the verticaledge surface of said latch element, whereby door closing strains andstresses transmitted to said latch element are transmitted directly bysaid arm surface.

8. In a door-holder, a keeper having an opening adapted to be mounted inthe doorway, an arm of inverted U-shape in cross section adapted to beswingably connected to the door, the upper side of said arm at its freeend being slotted, an abutment member at the free end of said armprojecting upwardly through said slot for abutting engagement with saidkeeper in the door opening movement of said door, and a latch memberpivotally supported near the free end of said arm and having a latchelement pro-' j ecting upwardly through said slot in slightly spacedrelation to said abutment, said latch element having its surfaceadjacent said abutment member adapted to engage the keeper in theclosing movement of the door, the surface of said element opposite saidkeeper-engaging face being so shaped as to be substantially vertical inthe latching-position of said element and engaging the inward wall ofsaid slot in such position whereby door closing thrusts are taken, inpart, by the upper surface of said arm, and means for operating saidlatch member.

9. In a door-holder, a keeper having an opening adapted to be mounted inthe doorway, an arm adapted to be swingably connected to the door andguidingly supported and being of U-shape in cross section, andv meansfor operating said latch member which includes a bar pivotally mountedupon (m said arm and having one end slotted to rock in'gly embrace theU-base portion of said latch member for swinging said latch member aboutits pivotal support to hold the same in latching position and to movethe same to an unlatching position.

10. In a door holder, an arm adapted to be swingingly connected at oneend to a door, an abutment member at the other end of said arm, a latchmember pivotally supported by said arm and having a latch element at oneend cooperating with said keeper, an operating device pivotallyconnected to the other endiof said latch member and adapted to bereciprocated longitudinally of said arm for moving said latchmemberabout its pivotal connection to depress said latch element, and

spring means moving said latch member to and yieldingly' holding it inlatching position. 11. In a door holder, an armadapted to be swinginglyconnected at oneend toa door,

an abutment member at the other end of said arm, a latch memberpivotally supported by said arm and having a latch element at one" endcooperating with said keeper, an operating rod pivotally connected atits one end to i the other end of said latch member, a bellcrank leverpivotally supported by said arm at its door-connecting end which leveris also pivotally connected to the other end of saidrod,manually-operable means connected to said lever for swinging it forunlatching movement of said rod and latch member, and" spring meanstending to move said latch member toward and holding it yieldably inlatching position.

12. In a door holder, an arm of' inverted U-shaped in cross-sectionslotted at one end, an abutment supported by one end of said armandprojecting through said slotted portion, a latch member pivotallysupported within said arm and having a latch element projecting upwardthrough said slotted portion slightly inward of said abutment, a latchoperating member pivotally supported by the end of said arm oppositesaid slotted portion. a connecting link between said members, and springmeans yieldably holding said latch member in latching position.

13. In a door holder,'an arm adapted to be swingingly connected to aswingable closure, a pair of bars each pivotally connected to said armand pivotally'connected with each other,

an abutment carried at one end of said arm' ion ' and means connected tothe otherof said bars 7 for movingsaid bars to move said latch ele-vment to unlatohing position. b l

14. In a door holder. an arm adapted to be swingingly connected to aswingable closure, a pair of members each pivotally connected to saidarm and pivotally connected with each other, an abutment carried at oneend of said arm and projecting thereabove, oneof-said members having alatch element projecting above said arm in slightly spaced relation tosaid abutment, said members being so connected that they normally tendto swing downwardly about their pivotally connected ends, in whichposition said'latch element is raised into latching position, springmeans connected to said arm and to said latch-elementsupporting memberholding said latch element yieldably in latching position, and meansconnected to the otherof said members for moving said members tomove'said latch element to unlatching position.

15. A door holder which comprisesa keeper adapted to be mounted in thedoorway, "an arm member adapted to be swingably connected to the door atone end with its other end free, said keeper member having an openingwhich guidingly receives and supports said arm for movement to and fromdooropen and door-closed positions, an abutment element at the free endof said arm proj eotin g thereabove to engage said keeper above itsopening in the door-open position of said arm, a latch element supportedby and pivoted to one of said members and arranged for movement intoslightly spaced relation to said abutment element with the keepersurface above the keeper opening confined therebe tween and meanscarried bv and movable relative to said arm member for moving said latchelement awayfrom said abutment element to an unlatching position topermit movement of said arm member to its doorclosed position.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name. or V LOUIS A. BITTORF.

